


Counting Stars

by thedailygrind



Series: The Things We Could Be [2]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, JYJ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Rock Stars, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:28:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24426544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedailygrind/pseuds/thedailygrind
Summary: Jaejoong is a rockstar in need of an image change and SM's hottest up and coming choreographer, Jung Yunho just might be able to help.
Relationships: Jung Yunho (DBSK)/Kim Jaejoong
Series: The Things We Could Be [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543396
Kudos: 2





	Counting Stars

“I don’t understand why I have to do this,” Jaejoong rages as Changmin ignores him, steadfastly marching them both toward the SM Artist building. 

“I’m a rockstar for crying out loud. Gender bending visuals and eyeliner? Yes! Kissing men on stage? Sure! Tattoos and black nail polish, I can do that. But pop? Fucking synchronized choreography and singing about cats and puppies and fucking sunshine like a boyband from the nineties? Kill me now because I’m not gonna have much of a career to return to.”

Changmin pauses mid-stride to let out a long suffering sigh. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting—“ Jaejoong glares, “just a little?”Changmin finishes smoothly, “it’s just _one_ song. Even you can manage that.”

“The point of my contract,” Jaejoong hisses, jabbing Changmin in the chest, “was that no one messes with my music. _No one_.”

“Not messing,” Changmin says, with a patient sigh. “Just, prodding it along. Redirecting. Taking very minor creative license.”

“It’s the same thing,” Jaejoong glares, crossing his arms as Changmin stops them right outside dance studio A. “If you think I’m going to be one of those manufactured pop stars you pop out to memorize choreography and lip synch all day, you have something coming.”

“Oh, stop being dramatic,” Changmin says, rolling his eyes, “they just want you to try some new ideas. Switch up your concept. Try new things. Grow a little.”

“I’ve grown plenty.”

“Musically, I mean.” Changmin says, and gives Jaejoong a short squeeze on the wrist to soften the words. 

Jaejoong wants to be angry that his manager, and the one person who’s supposed to advocate for his musical tastes, has essentially deceived him into this contract. But he can’t find it in himself to be, not when he knows deep down, that Changmin’s right. 

He’s been in a rut. It’s been a year and a half since he’s written anything he can consider himself remotely proud of. His last album was a disaster, he’d hated everything he’d written and it had showed. The lyrics felt too childish and contrived, the tunes, an old recycling of the same garbage he’d been writing for years, nothing innovative, nothing new. Nothing that excited him or made his blood sing, not like the sleeper hit he’d put out as a rookie, “MAZE” or his last big hit, “Just Another Girl”.

It had been almost a year since he’s been back in the recording studio and at this point, management has been so desperate to just get him to put out _something,_ _anything,_ they’d sent him demos from twenty six different ghostwriters with the explicit instruction to just fucking _choose_ one and record it.

Outraged, Jaejoong had refused and look where that left him: anxious and, according to Changmin, on the verge of being dropped. Unless he conceded and became a pretty teenage popstar.

Jaejoong balks at the idea.

“I think this will be good for you.” Changmin says gently, shaking Jaejoong out of his pity party, number of attendees - one. 

“And you know what? If you hate it so much I promise I’ll talk to sungsaengnim to see if we can scratch it completely. But you should give this a shot hyung, I hear this boy is really talented.”

Jaejoong sighs, his shoulders slumping and Changmin knows he’s won. 

“I know the last record didn’t sell so well, and I’m sorry. But please, Changmin-ah, don’t let them change me into something I’m not. I’m not going to be one of their forgettable boybanders. I worked too hard to get to where I am. I’m not going back. I _can’t._ ”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Changmin says, “you sold out your last Dome tour in 24 hours. I think your status as rock god is safe.”

Jaejoong nods, miserably.

“C'mon, it's just a one-off summer release, hyung,” Changmin adds, “No one will even remember it come December.”

“Fine, fine.” Jaejoong grumbles, but looks considerably cheered up. “Come on, let’s get this stupid song and dance thing over and done with so I can get back to real work.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.
> 
> If someone is interested in beta-ing or co-writing some of the terrible stuff I'm putting out into the world please PM. I'm drowning in unwritten fic with too many plotholes. Some of which are sixteen years old.


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